Christian quoter

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

In today's Times I read,"I wasn’t aware till recently that exactly 200 years ago, on May 1, 1807, the slave trade was banned in Britain. Or that, within eight years, the British Government was pursuing what the historian of the slave trade, Hugh Thomas, has described as “one of the most moral foreign policies in British history”. This partly consisted of coercing other nations, who still retained their enthusiasm for kidnapping black people and treating them as property, into desisting." - David Aaronovitch

As I posted before on this, it was a trade. Whites rarely had to kidnap blacks. They bought them from blacks who had enslaved fellow blacks. The enthusiastic kidnappers were black. I point this out for reasons of historical accuracy, not to limit white guilt. Whites should have known better. The Africans were still in the dark as to a Christian moral base.

"The Department for Transport says 21% of drivers break the law. Motorists who use hand-held mobile phones while driving will now face tougher penalties.The maximum fixed penalty fine has doubled to £60, and three points can be added to offenders' licences. "

I would suggest there should be provision for police to immediately confiscate the offender's phone. I would also suggest that any motorist seeing an offender at the wheel should continuously sound their horn while still near them.

Family policy must not be biased in favour of married parents, Alan Johnson is to say at a Relate conference. While marriage is the "pinnacle of a strong relationship," not all children raised in them fare well and not all other families are "doomed to failure". He will say: "Our family policy must be bias free... it's not who or what the parents are, it's what they do."

I am sick of Blair being reported as a Christian when nothing in his party suggests they have any credible Christian profession whatsoever (Frank Field is the exception to the rule and I shall be very happy to hear of any others)

Johnson should know the elementary fact that married couples stay together longer than cohabitees. That means marriage favours the children and the country. It deserves fiscal reward. It is the married who, in general,are paying for the irresponsibility of others.

Monday, February 26, 2007

The first Sonday in Lent, Collect, the 1549, Book of Common Prayer

O LORD, whiche for oure sake dyddeste faste fortye dayes and fourtie nightes; Geve us grace to use suche abstinence, that, oure fleshe beyng subdued to the spirite, wee maye ever obeye thy Godlye mocions in righteousnesse, and true holinesse, to thy honoure and glorye, whiche lyveste and reigneste, with the Father and the holy Ghost, one God world without end. Amen.-

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Amarylis and Orchid

Well done the Irish

One is encouraged when people can look forward and not be bound in the past. So to see Croke Park show respect during the singing of 'God Save the Queen' was very pleasing to this Englishman. The Irish had more than a victory on the rugby field. Here was a magnanimous triumph by the crowd too.

20 February 2007We received a petition asking:"We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Offer the British people a referendum on continued membership of the European Union."Details of petition:"The last referendum on the EU in 1975 asked the public if they wanted to be part of the EEC - a trading agreement between Britain and other European countries. They were never asked if they wanted political integration."

I had signed.

Government's responseUnder UK's constitutional arrangements, while the Government may make a recommendation, it is ultimately for Parliament to decide whether to hold a referendum on a particular issue. Referendums in the UK are rare. Parliament - the elected representatives of the British people -has the right to take important decisions on their behalf. This was the case when the UK joined the (then) European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973.There was, of course, a referendum on UK membership of the EEC in 1975 because the Labour Government was committed to seeking the approval of the British people for the renegotiated terms of membership which it had obtained. Thereafter, each Treaty change - notably the Single European Act and the Treaties of Maastricht, Amsterdam and Nice - has been ratified following the passing of an Act of Parliament. Subject to Parliament's agreement, the Government has committed itself to a referendum on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe before its ratification by the UK. Following the 'no' votes in referendums in France and the Netherlands, however, the future of the Constitutional Treaty is now unclear.--

Well, first a correction. There was, of course, a referendum on UK membership of the EEC in 1975 because the Labour Government was committed to seeking to unify the then divided Labour party on the issue. Asking the country if it wanted to stay in when it never voted to join was like the couple who two years after a shotgun wedding were asked if they wanted to keep the baby. Of course they said yes.

Votes to join the E.U. and subsequent E.U. legislation by Westminster was in my view unconstitutional as parliament has no mandate to reduce its own sovereignty of that of its successors. IMO H.M. is in breach of her coronation oaths in assenting to these bills when she made herself a mere E.U. citizen. That the three major parties were all in favour of the then Common Market and never gave the people a choice was a disgrace. That they all lied and said it was about economic not political union was IMO morally indefensible to the point of treason. Heath should have faced the then penalty for that crime.

ALMIGHTYE and everlastyng God, whiche hatest nothyng that thou haste made, and doest forgeve the sinnes of all them that be penitente; Creat and make in us newe and contrite heartes, that wee worthely lamentyng oure synnes, and knowlegyng our wretchednes, maye obtaine of thee, the God of all mercye, perfect remission and forgevenes; thorough Jesus Christ. - Book of Common Prayer 1549

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Britons fall out of love with marriage

From The Times February 22, 2007The number of Britons choosing to marry has fallen to the lowest levels in a hundred and eleven years. ... The average age that men and women marry increased to 36.2 years for men and 33.6 years for women — up by three years for both sexes since 1995.

When we married we were both 23. All our children married older but none as old as above and none of us cohabited first.

It is high time government gave more fiscal incentives to marriage as it is the bed rock of a stable society. Ours is being built on the sand of cohabitation, civil partnership and easy divorce after feelings of romance have fled.

I was sceptical about global warming until I saw this.

I have emailed on Cameron's blog."I joined your party in 1986 to fight against the loony Labour promotion of the social acceptability homosexuality in the London Borough of Ealing under the then 'chair' of education, Hilary Benn. From 1990 to 98 I represented your party as an Ealing councillor. I left the party when London members were given the choice of a serial adulterer or a homosexual as London mayoral candidate following the Archer debacle. Your proposed support for SORs will gain you the homosexualist vote but you will lose many Christian votes. If you have not the principle to oppose SORs you might at least have the pragmatism to do so. If you support SORs my vote will be lost at the next general election."

Unless Cameron changes track he will be confirmed as Blair's great achievement. He will not be the leader of a conservative party but of the Conservative's New Labour Tribute band.

BTW homosexualist is an approver of homosexual genital acts. It does not imply any sexual orientation, only moral orientation. I never use the word gay with reference to homosexuality. To use it is to accept their language.

Do visit the link and vote for Cameron to attend to the matter of SORs.

Monday, February 19, 2007

Big Brother

Today I learned from my wife that when our bathroom is renovated we must install an extractor fan and a light pull in place of the wall switch. Big Brother is watching me in the bathroom now!It was bad enough when we had our chimney breasts removed and the builder insisted we tell building control at the town hall. They then sent me an ethnic monitoring form. I told them my ethnicity is no concern of theirs but if they must know, the chimney was black. Ethnic monitoring and leaflets in community languages are a waste of tax payers money.I am sick of this over-regulating nanny state.

Friday, February 16, 2007

What happened to the horses?

This morning's Today programme on Radio 4 had a piece on prison overcrowding. Interviewer and interviewee both said the prison population has now stabled. So where did they put the horses after this innovative solution to overcrowding? The next news bulletin did tell us that the population had stabilized.

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Anyone for turkey?

Sainsburys report a 10% drop in poultry sales since the bird flu among Norfolk turkeys. But has the price come down? No. In the wretched E.U. there are no market forces only a foolish common agricultural policy to featherbed farmers, especially French ones. Those of us who do not think we are facing a health risk are not to be rewarded. It was just the same with BSE. No cheap steak. Let us get out of this protectionist cartel and return to a freer market.

We are regular patrons of Richmond Theatre and prefer it to the West End. It is half the price, free parking and quieter streets.

This was a classic Agatha Christie whodunit with an unexpected twist in the tail The setting is 1950s and the ladies looked to be from there if the victim's wheelchair did not. The cast was well known to TV soap devotees but not to me. Several smoked on stage and a lighter was a clue. What will they do after July when the nanny state bans smoking in enclosed public spaces?

7 marks out of 10. I prefer something with a message. Katy is the Agatha fan.

Saturday, February 10, 2007

John Weeks Publican

In 18th century Bristol a John Weeks was a famed host, coach proprietor and shipowner.

The first type of sign for a place of alcoholic refreshment was a bush outside the door, leading to the name of the Bush. There was a famous Bush Tavern in Corn Street The word Tavern derives from the Roman word for an inn 'taberna'. In 1775 it was presided over by Mr John Weeks and the directory of that year notes 'Birmingham diligence and a Bath coach go from this inn, post chaises to let'. He served turtles every day and advertised greatly in the newspaper. Later known as the Bush Hotel it was replaced by the South Wales and West of England Bank which was erected in 1858. www.bristolinformation.co.uk/pubs/home.asp

September 15th 1784Vincenzo Lunardi, secretary to the Neopolitan Ambassador in London, at last lifted off infront of a crowd of 100,000 or so impatient spectators at the grounds of HonourableArtillery Company to become England's first aerial traveller. Overnight the young Italianbecame a popular hero, with the ballooning craze in this country reaching its peak soonafter. Balloons were all the rage, with Lunardi's ascent being depicted on Bristol Delftbowls, and other items of crockery, while similar designs figured on glasses,handkerchiefs, fans, head dresses, and clock faces, as well as on copper tokens. Anumber of astute businessmen used the balloon's title to christen their commercialundertakings, and in Bristol John Weeks, the patriotic proprietor of the Bush Tavern in Corn Street, started a "Balloon Coach" to London, while others ran from the White Hart inBroad Street, and from Bath . -fishponds.org.uk/balloon.pdf

A Puritan ancestor?

So far I have not established a genealogical link but I am sure we are related spiritually

WEEKS, JOHN. Vicar of Buckland Newton, Dorset. 1662. Adm. 2 Oct. 1657: presented by Crown 25 July 1660. Successor inst. 8 Oct. 1662; (L. 998. 108: 46 R. 120: B.C. Bristol: Cal. 262, 415.)Nephew of S. Hardy (q.v.). At Shaftesbury in Feb. 1656-7, when surety for a composition of firstfruits. After ejection pastor of a congregation at Bristol. Discharged at Bristol Sessions after 6 months' imprisonment under Five Mile Act 22 Feb. 1668-9 (D.W.L. Turner MS. 13). 1669, preaching in 4 Wiltshire and 3 Somerset parishes. Licensed (P.), as of St. James Back, Bristol, 19 April 1672. Imprisoned by mayor of Bristol 15 Feb. 1674-5. Took out a writ of habeas corpus, 15 May 1675, that his case might be tried in London, but by the mayor's influence he was remanded back to Bristol, with an order that the sheriff should provide a better prison: released 2 Aug. 1675 (Broadmead Records, 222 ff.). His name occurs as presented 16 times in the bishop's court 1677-8 (Turner MS. 13). Sent to prison for 6 months, 31 May 1682, for preaching and refusing the Oxford Oath (ib.). The meeting-house removed from St. James Back to Tucker Street 1686: another meeting-house built in Lewin's Mead 1694 (ib.). 'Minister of a Congregation of fifteen hundred People, all of his own gathering.' Buried at St. Philip and St. Jacob 24 Nov. 1698, age 65. Funeral sermon by Joseph Kentish. Joseph Standen, who married his daughter, published a poem on his death (Bristol 1699: D.W.L.). Calamy went to Bristol, 1692, with possibility of becoming his assistant. 'I found Mr. Weeks a very frank, sincere, plain-hearted man, and as popular a preacher as most in England. He had an unwieldy body, broken with infirmities; but a mighty voice and a great spirit. He had a most affecting way of pleading for God with sinners, and of setting forth the odiousness of sin to make it detected. He had a wonderful interest in the affections of his people, to whom God had made him exceeding useful' Calamy Revised by AG Matthews page 517:(Life, i. 314).

Buckland Newton: Mr. John Weeks. He was afterwards for many Years, Minister of a flourishing Congregation in the City of Bristol. One of great Prudence; and as popular Preacher as most in England. He met with Hardships on the account of his Nonconformity, but pass'd through them with great Patience and Meekness. His Spirits were elevated by the Zeal of his Enemies. The Thoughts of his Persecutors would revive him, if he was dejected and dispirited before. As he was preaching in Froom-Woodlands, some informers came, who had vow'd to Pistol him: And he directed his Discourse to them with that Majesty and Boldness, that they rode away, without giving him any Disturbance. He was very submissive to the divine Will in sore Pains, And when reduc'd to great Straits. He never complain of GOD, but was abundant in blessing and admiring him: And would rejoyce that he could find his Heart inclin'd to love GOD, even when under manifold Afflictions at once. He was charitable beyond his Ability. He was a most fervent Expostulator with Sinners. With what Life and Warmth, would he utter those Words, I beseech you by the Bowels of JESUS CHRIST, hear a poor dying Worm, upon the Account of your inmorst Souls! He was a Minister in the Pulpit and out of it. A most affectionate sympathising Friend: and one that became all things to all Men. He discover'd a most divine Temper in his Sickness; and was most serene and satisfy'd, content and joyful in the approach of Death. He exchang'd this for a better Life, November 23. 1698, Aged 65. His Funeral Sermon was preach'd by Mr. Joseph Kentish (who assisted, and afterwards succeeded him) from 2 Kings 2. 12. And Mr. Joseph Standen (who marry'd his Daughter) publish'd a Funeral Poem, which gave his Character.- Calamy on the Great Ejection,1713 volume II, pages 262

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Books read in February 2007 (8)

1. Mayflower: A Voyage to War by Nathaniel Philbrick

An excellent account of the first half century plus of the settlement of new England. We start with the Pilgrims leaving Lincolnshire for Holland seeking freedom to worship God according to their consciences. We learn of life in Holland and the hazardous decision to cross the ocean. Here their sufferings began. The ocean voyage was bad enough but being tricked by the captain of the second boat was among the other hazards.As is well known, survival oh a hostile coast was only possible thanks to the co-operation of the friendly local inhabitants. It was a miracle that they survived the first winter. These people were like Cromwell, providentialists, who believed that God was watching over them by his providence. I do not think the author shares their faith but he writes with a sympathetic understanding of it including how the next generation lacked the vital faith of their fathers so later Puritans had the Half Way Covenant rather than requiring credible profession faith from church members. Philbrick writes well. The book reads like an adventure story at times, especially during the hostilities of King Philip's war when the proportion of the population lost was far higher than any other war on U.S. soil. We also hear that the settler's victory was in part due to the help they received from Praying Indians, converts from the missionary work of John Eliot. The author is thankfully free from the modern trend of political correctness which would view Native Americans as saints and Pilgrims as rapacious colonisers. This is a fair treatment of the good and bad in both communities.I found it a moving read, especially when one read what William Bradford wrote late in life.

Fear not, poor soul, in God still trust,Fear not the things thou suffer must;For, whom he loves, he doth chastise,And then all tears wipes from their eyes.

2. Stop Dating the Church (Lifechange Books) by Joshua Harris

My title might have been appropriate for this book if had been written on this side of the pond and not by an author who found youthful success encouraging Christians to stop the American cultural pattern of dating.He writes at a popular level. His target is Christians with a low view of church who therefore lack commitment to any one local church. In these days when some Christians do not see the need to be part of a local church the message of this book is badly needed. Commitment to Christ means commitment to his body in its manifestation as the local church.

This message is well communicated by the author though there are I think a couple of large gaps in his small book. There is no mention of the church triumphant, how the church on earth is related to the church in heaven, how worship unites us all around God's throne. Secondly, while the author gives marks of a faithful church and would encourage believers do leave ungodly, unscriptural churches, he does not really discuss what are sufficient reasons to leave one church for another. this is really a glaring omission when the aim of the book is to teach commitment to the local fellowship. My experience is that people often move for wrong reasons and also may stay in churches that are not really functioning with the three traditional marks of a gospel church, teaching Scripture, administering the sacraments and exerting biblical discipline. Nevertheless this is an excellent primer on the need to be part of a local church.

3. American Yesterday (Americana) by Eric Sloane

A delightful look at pre 20th century America, well written and illustrated. It covers many aspects of American life starting from church which I was interested to find would be an unheated building. He says that now people go to church to get something, then they went to give something, thanks to God.

4. While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam Is Destroying the West from Within by Bruce Bawer

The author is a homosexual man form New York living with his partner in Norway. This a a brief residence in Holland are influential factors in his writing and the lack of contact with the U.K. is a limiting factor in this book. His politics are right of centre and he laments that in most European countries the major parties are but like the two wings of the U.S. Democrats. Much of his writing seems rather anecdotal and unstructured. His constant theme is the dhimmitude of European governments who fail to stand up to the ever increasing demands of Muslim minorities. He grants that there is a peaceable majority but says their voice is not heard. They do not come onto the streets to condemn co-coreligionists the way they demonstrate against the U.S.A. European anti-Americanism is one of his themes. His heroes are the Dutch, Fortuyn and Van Gogh who were martyrs to his cause.As is usual in anti-islamist writing, he is long on diagnosis, short on prescription. Encourage the peaceful majority to take control and teach integration like the American melting pot. Are these realistic hopes? Not surprisingly he does not encourage the indigenous minority who are committing demographic suicide to take the necessary action and boost their birth rates.

5. Letters of Samuel Rutherford: With a Sketch of His Life and Biographical Notes of His Correspondents by Samuel Rutherford

No books come near to Scripture as being inspired by God but among the books that can most inspire I rank Rutherford at the top. For devotional reading he is incomparable. There are 365 letters in this edition so one can read one a day for a year. This i did with a few days off at times. These letters span 1627 to 1661, years of great turmoil in Scotland. If you have a romantic view of history, here is the remedy. Rutherford suffered. 231 letters were written while he was imprisoned in Aberdeen. He writes comfort to the bereaved and strength and perseverance to the persecuted. He writes later while a commissioner to the Westminster Assembly and also after his nation's surprising defeat by Oliver Cromwell at Dunbar. These latter letters are the only one's where I would differ from the author's sentiments.Close communion with Christ is the hallmark of Rutherford's writing. They are wonderful examples of pastoral care from a man whose great sorrow was to be forcibly removed from his pastoral charge at Anwoth. Here is the most challenging spirituality written since the apostolic era. This book should be read by all Christians. In fact I did encourage the publishers to produce this edition as it was out of print for many years.The only drawback is that you have to keep looking up the meaning of Scots words in the glossary.

6. A Political Philosophy by Roger ScrutonFormer Dutch prime minister Abraham Kuyper said that the difference between liberals and conservatives was ten years. If Scruton was read and adopted by Conservatives today we would see some clear blue water. He is a philosopher so do not expect an easy read but you will find a most rewarding one. Scruton starts with citizenship in a nation state as fundamental. He is no admirer of any sovereignty above the nation for that is where loyalty stops. Conservatism should mean the conserving of nature. Environmental concerns are not limited to the left. Animals are friends we can eat. Humans are not merely higher animals. Their lives must be protected from predatory apostles of euthanasia. Marriage is fundamental to the stability of society. It is more than a mere contract but I do not accept his high Anglican assertion that it is a sacrament. Scruton does not seem conversant with the Protestant covenantal view of marriage. He gives us a good critique of the cultural negativity of post-modernism. He enlightens one with his analysis of religion before and after the Enlightenment and rightly contends that religion must be studied not merely for its utility but for its claims to truth. His analysis of totalitarianism, particularly the power plan that is Marxism is masterful. "It is not the truth of Marxism that explains the willingness of intellectuals to believe it, but the power that it confers on intellectuals, in their attempts to control the world. And since, as Swift says, it is futile to reason someone out of a thing that he was not reasoned into, we can conclude that Marxism owes its remarkable power to survive every criticism to the fact that it is not a truth-directed but a power-directed system of thought.". Eurospeak is exposed as the current Newspeak though he omits the most fundamental of all Eurospeak, to hijack the Euro preface for the E.U. alone and to remove it from Europe as a whole. So I am labelled a Europhobe when what I fear is not Europe but the E.U. Evil is seen as more than humans being bad. Sexual evil is brilliantly analysed.Finally Eliot is critiqued as the literary apostle of Scruton's conservatism. This is a good book to encourage political thought beyond the realm of present day pragmatism.

7. Truth with Love: The Apologetics of Francis Schaefferby Bryan A. FollisBryan Follis's book on the apologetics of Francis Schaeffer (FAS) came out of an academic dissertation and it shows. It is not an easy read for an average Christian unacquainted with academic Christian schools of apologetics. Follis's thesis is that FAS was influenced by different schools of apologetics but not a follower of any one school.Follis puts the American development of that tradition and its denominational splits. I sometimes had the impression hat not enough emphasis was given to FAS's Calvinism which meant that he believed that though evangelism through apologetics was his calling, he could convert no-one. Regeneration is God's sovereign work and all of FAS's effort was done under that understanding.The history of Schaeffer's mission to Europe with the Bible Presbyterian Church is given with the circumstances that led him to leave that denomination and be a missionary to young people in Europe and to develop his apologetics. FAS resisted any attempt to get him to systematically teach an apologetic method. His apologetics are discerned from his writings, particularly the first three books, and the way FAS dealt with people. It was speaking truth in love. There is true truth and there are no little people. Every questioner deserved and received an answer. There is much personal testimony from those who met and worked with FAS as to his love for individual people.As to wheer his apologetics came from there is much academic discussion of the influences, Princtonian old school evidentialism, Carnell'sverificationalisn and Van Tillianpresuppositionalism. The latter is the most contentious. No-one would doubt how much FAS used a presuppositional approach but Follis seeks to show the two men has a different understanding of presuppositions and a different approach to unbelievers. I agree with him that the strict Van Tillian approach leaves no real point of contact with the unbeliever. FAS sought to show the non-Christan that they could not consistently live by godless presuppositions. He believed in bringing the non-Christian to see the shortcomings of whatever world-view he was following and then present the truth of the Christian gospel.But what marks FAS out wa his insistence on a life of dependence on God to evidence the reality of the truth of the faith proclaimed. FAS sought to show that Christianity is both rational and supernatural. Follis brings this out well. Much space is given to the difference between FAS and Van Til. The late Edmund Clowney told me that he had them both together in his office at Westminster Seminary and they got on well personally and the was to substantial disagreement between them.Follis concludes that FAS apologetic is still relevant in a post-modern environment. Speaking the truth with love will always be needed to communicate the gospel God's Spirit is needed to see lives changed.Minor criticism, this book lacks an index and while telling us Pinnock's criticism of FAS he failed to tell us that from writing a book based on FAS's approach Pinnock has now moved beyond the limits of Reformed Biblical Christianity.

This is the first book I have reviewed where Amazon had misspelled the title. My review title corrects the mistake.The author and I are contemporaries and our late fathers were friends as Methodist local preachers. I wa re-intoduced to the author when I saw a Channel 4 television programme on how the crisis in farming was driving men of the land and even to suicide. But one farmer was shown starting hius day before dawn, singing hymns while he fed his sheep. hat was Paul Dunn. He farms on the Yorkshire moors and hius story brought back many memories of growing up in North Yorkshire, where though I was not on a farm, my uncle farmed nearby. Paul's account is strong on his Methodist family upbringing and local schools. He never went further than secondary-modern education then worked for his expectations, board, lodging and pocket money with the hope of running the farm after his father. he did take over the tenancy of the farm which was mainly dairy and sheep. Ther eis alot here that is diary with a bit too much of weather and stock prices prices for me. In fact an appending tabling the fluctating prices would have been helpful, also an index. Nevertheless I did find three of my family mentioned. As to the weather, because farming depends on it, one does understand how much is related and certainly in Dunn's area there is a lot of snow. Interestingly he is sceptical about global warming. he is also rightly critical of government farming policy and DEFRA inefficiency, especially over foot and mouth. This is an account of how farming has been destroyed by E.U. policies. Set aside should be set aside with our E.U. membership.As well as the decline in farming there is the decline of Methodism. The author has left for a charismatic church some distance away. many others have joined reformed churches. Mr Dunn has some theological traning but does not forcefully lay the blame for this decline where it lies, liberalsm in metodist ministry for may years. But his kind of methodism was the old school, evangelical and evangelistic. This book will tell you how North Yorkdhie used to be. There are plenty of pithy local sayings and tales of humorous chracters. It is a story of faith in adversity and an honest tale. the author admits to depression. The state of farming is depressed too.